1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a speed profile generation apparatus that generates a train speed profile, and a driver assistance system.
2. Description of the Background Art
In a railway system, how a train should travel between stations is planned in advance in order to achieve safe, accurate and comfortable train service. As a diagram that represents a traveling plan of the train, a speed profile (traveling curve) is used, which illustrates a relationship between a position and speed of the train and a time. A train driver carries out a drive operation so as to allow the train to travel following the speed profile. Note that the speed profile is also referred to as a run curve and a running profile.
Heretofore, based on an experience and a manual of a speed profile designer, the speed profile has been designed in order to satisfy with the constraints of an inter-station traveling time schedule, which includes a margin time, a gradient and a speed limit. However, in a case where the train cannot travel in accordance with the planned speed profile because of a reason such as timetable disruption, it is necessary for the train driver to determine an appropriate drive operation based on an experience thereof. Therefore, such problems occur that an inexperienced train driver carries out an inappropriate drive operation, and that a workload on the train driver is increased.
In order to solve the problems as described above, there is proposed a method for setting a new inter-station target traveling time schedule, which ranges from a current time to a planned arrival time to a next station, and automatically generating such a speed profile that satisfies the inter-station target traveling time schedule, thereby assisting the train driver and a conductor. In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H05-105081 (1993), information for generating the speed profile and a drive operation instruction, a passenger-oriented guide and the like is automatically generated and stored in a recording medium. At the respective positions stored in the recording medium, the drive operation instruction and a passenger-oriented guide broadcast are automatically outputted by a display and a voice.